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PHASELIS
The city is established upon a peninsula with
three small bays. The maquis, Mediterranean flowers,
eucalyptus and oleander trees are noticeable in the
ancient city covered with pine forests all around. The
beach of the northern port of the city is a natural egg-laying
site of caretta caretta turtles and is under protection.
It is reckoned that the name of the city was “Phasala/Paassala”
meaning “Sea Urbanism” in the Luwian language. As a
matter of fact, the Phoenicians who were engaged in
maritime trade defined the city as a “seaside city
spared by God”. It is said that liquid products such as
wine and olive oil flowed in the canals carved into
rocky slopes along the mountain sides of which the
traces are still distinguishable to Phasala from
Termessos established at an elevation of 900 m on the
mountains. The liquid products were poured into amphoras
and pitchers and shipped to the Mediterranean countries.
Moreover, the fame of the numerous Mediterranean flowers
growing in the area where the city lay spread throughout
the ancient world. The city, which produced and exported
perfumes and flower oil, matched the Paris city of today.
The myth says that Phaselis was purchased by the Rhodian
colonists from a shepherd against dried fish.
Phaselisians were historically notorious for their
stinginess. In fact it was an important trade center in
the antiquity The famous Phaselisian thinker of the
ancient times is the philosopher Teodectes. Alexander
the Great spent the winter of 233 BC here. Phaselis
which was later seen within the Lycian Union, was
exposed to the pirates attacts during the 1st century
B.C. until the protection of the Roman Empire. It was
abandoned when the area turned into a swamp and was
occupied with mosquitoes and wasps. There are three
natural bays on the north, south and east of the
peninsula which were used as ports. The Colonnaded
Street links the northern and southern ports. The
circular agora was in the middle and the Bouleterion,
thought to have been a two-story building was at the
western end. To the east end of the square are the
remains of the Roman Bath with cold and hot water pools.
The theatre on the acropolis from the 4th century B.C.
with a seating capacity of 3 thousand people, has a
total of 3 actors’ doors, one of which is small. The
theatre, was transformed into an arena during the late
Roman era, cages were built in the lower chambers of the
stage building in order to protect the spectators from
wild animals. On the hillside east of the acropolis the
remains of two temples belonging to Athena, the chief
god of Phaselis, and Hermes, God of Trade, are visible.
The gate, in the form of a triumphal arch, was built to
commemorate the Roman Emperor Hadrian’s visit to the
city. The water canals immediately adjacent to this door
carried water to the city from Mount Tahtali at a
distance of 25 km. Various sarcophagi, sarcophagus
covers and the figures of eros and lions worked on them
are striking. The remains unearthed objects are on
display in the Antalya Museum.
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